Surry County board votes to reinstate pre-K at Scholes Elementary, directs staff to fast-track licensing

The Surry County Schools Board of Education voted June 29 to reinstate its pre-K program at Scholes Elementary School and asked staff to begin the state licensing and building-inspection process immediately.

Mr. Scales, a board member, moved to reinstate the program and said the district already has 10 eligible students for Scholes. "I would like to make a motion that we reinstate the prek program at SHs Elementary School," he said, arguing that excluding Scholes was a disservice to that community and that the enrollment now supports reopening a classroom.

Why it matters: Board members emphasized equity and early-childhood impacts, noting that pre-K participation can influence readiness and downstream school performance. The motion places the district on a faster timeline to re-establish the classroom and restore access for families living in the Scholes area.

What staff said: Miss Mosy, the district's pre-K coordinator, told the board the NC Pre-K roster was received in June and that staff are filling EC and NC Pre-K slots while processing two to three applications a day. She reported 14 applications from Scholes, one withdrawn, nine found NC Pre-K eligible and one community tuition applicant, leaving 10 eligible students for Scholes as of her report. The coordinator warned the licensing process must start from scratch: "even though we had one there previous, we have to do it again" and said the state consultant estimated a typical review time of four to eight weeks.

Costs and staffing: The board debated cost estimates and staffing contingencies. Finance staff had earlier reported the district will need to draw about $400,000 from savings overall this year because of underfunding; Sherry, who delivered the financial report, said, "we're still going to have to take about $400,000 out of our savings account this year." Mr. Scales presented rough classroom-level calculations showing a small net operating loss for a single teacher with 10 students (roughly $2,900–$3,000 over the 10-month period based on tuition and state slot amounts), but another member warned the true cost of hiring a teacher with benefits could be about $85,000. The board agreed any local subsidy or staffing cost would be handled from local funds as needed.

Implementation steps directed by the board: staff were asked to (1) select and inspect the classroom (fire and sanitation checks), (2) inventory and replace furniture and materials dispersed since the room was closed, (3) coordinate with the state licensing consultant to expedite review, and (4) report progress back to the board. Board members noted that if enrollment increases above 10, a teacher and a teaching assistant would be required under state ratios.

What's next: Staff said they would move swiftly to begin inspections and the pre-licensing process, with the goal of opening by the Aug. 26 pre-K start if possible; otherwise the board will continue to track progress and expect the program to be restored for the following school year. The board asked to be kept apprised of permit and staffing milestones.

Ending: The board approved the motion to reinstate pre-K at Scholes and directed staff to start the licensing and facility process immediately; no timeline or final funding source was specified beyond the direction to use local subsidy if necessary.